The Love Files: Forbidden
by mysteria-wilson
Summary: Emmett was always the "love and leave them type". Never wanting to get too serious, he always chose women of a lesser caliber. But what happens when he falls and falls hard for his best friend's younger sister? Is she the one to finally tame his wild oats or will he just use and abuse her like the rest? AU and All Human. Based on love style Ludus, Book Three of Six
1. Introductions

**Disclaimer: I don't own twilight. I just like using the characters as my puppets ;)**

**Chapter 1 - Introduction**

_If you want something, have it. If you feel like it's forbidden, you'll want it even more. Whenever I have a craving, I go and have it and just make sure I don't have it again the next day. - __Jerry Ferrara_

_Ludic lovers view love as a game or sport; conquest; may have multiple partners at once. They are players, more interested in quantity than quality of relationships, ludic lovers want to have as much fun as possible. Ludic lovers choose their partners by playing the field, and quickly recover from break-ups._

As I leaned up against the bar surveying the dance floor, I felt like a lion sizing up his prey. And just like in the animal kingdom I was going to find the weakest gazelle. I looked over the crowd at all the short skirts and tight dresses. I saw a few that were ripe for the picking but none that jumped out. Yet. The night was still young and I wasn't gonna go home alone.

Just then I felt a small nudge on my right side. I looked down and saw a bundle of fiery red hair. I leaned down and pushed some of the hair back and was met with dilated green eyes. I smiled to myself and turned on the charm. I had found my gazelle.

"I'm sorry. I was trying to get to the bar when my heel snapped and I fell." She giggled drunkenly.

"Oh no problem. Here let me help you up." I stretched out my hand to her and pulled her up. She teetered for a few seconds before finally catching her balance.

"You okay?" I asked when she slipped off the bar step again. Like I really cared. I just didn't want her too banged up. Doesn't make for a good fuck session.

"Oh yeah, I think I lost my friends. They said they were gonna meet me here but I don't see them. Maybe you can keep me company?" She batted her green eyes at me.

"Man she is making this too easy." I thought to myself. I downed the rest of drink and smirked at her before leading her to the dance floor. As soon as we got there, she took her shoes off and began grinding all over me. She had no sense of rhythm but I didn't care. I wasn't looking for a dance partner.

"I'm Victoria. But you can call me Vicky." She winked seductively.

I smirked again and turned her around, running my hands over her curves, accessing her body. Now I loved women but I wasn't one of those guys who loved all women. You had to have a certain body type to ride this ride. In other words, no fatties and no anxeroric bimbos. Vicky wasn't my ideal fuck but she would do.

After a few more dances, I was tiring of the club scene and suggest that we move things to a more secluded location. It was then her friends decided to show up. After listen to them squeal and shriek for a few minutes, I slipped out and started heading towards my car. I had just opened the door when I heard someone call out behind me.

"Leaving already?"

"Yeah, didn't have much luck…" I started before catching sight of the person the voice belonged to. It was a brunette beauty, dressed rather skimpy considering the temperature was in the mid 50's. The mini skirt she wore stopped several inches from her knees and her top was cut so some of her midriff was exposed.

"Well why not come back in and buy me a drink. Maybe your luck will change." She winked before heading into the club.

I thought about it for a second before slamming my car door shut and locking it up before following her into the club.

As soon as I got through security, I searched for the bombshell I met in the parking lot. I found her by the bar sipping on Coke with a couple slices of lime floating on the top.

"I see you changed your mind about coming in." She shouted as I neared.

"Yeah, I think I might have given up too soon." I flashed my panty-dropping smile. She nodded and looked back at the bar. _"She is gonna be a tough cookie to crack."_ I thought to myself.

"So I owe you a drink. What will you have?" I asked, flagging down the bartender.

"I'll have a shot of Grey Goose." She told him once he came over. He nodded and looked at me.

"The same."

"So can I know the name of the person I'm buying this drink for?"

"You can call me Izzy." She winked again.

"Emmett. Emmett McCarty." I told her before realizing what I said. Why did I need to give her my last name? Why couldn't I use my A-game on this girl?

The bartender returned with our shots. I paid for the drinks and turned back towards Izzy just in time to see her downing the shot like it was water. This was my kind of girl. After a few more shots, we headed to the dance floor.

We spent the rest of the night dancing, well she was grinding on me and I was enjoying it. During "Last Call" I asked her for her number.

"Why?"

"This was fun. I think we should do it again."

"Don't worry I'm sure we'll see each other again." She winked once more before heading out the door, leaving me aching in more ways than one.

I ran after her but by the time I got out to the parking lot, she was gone. Although the club scene was a total bust the night wasn't over yet. As I was pulling out the parking lot, I pressed number 5 on my phone. As soon as the person picked up, I simply called out:

"My place, thirty minutes. Don't bother with clothes."

I awoke to the sun streaming through my window and birds chirping in the air. I grabbed my watch from the night table and saw it was almost 8 am. I threw it back down and rolled over only to be met with the sight of Rose's blue eyes. She knew I hated it whenever she stayed over.

I had met Rosalie during my freshman year of college. We tried dating for a bit but it didn't work out. But the sex was amazing. Out of all the bar sluts I fucked, none of them could hold a candle to the things she could do. So we decided to keep seeing each other on a strictly friends with benefits basis. But lately I was only calling her if I struck out at the club or if I was bored.

"So what are you gonna be doing this weekend? I figured if you weren't busy we could maybe go to brunch with my parents? They ask about you all the time, you know." Her parents had loved me while we were together and had expressed on several occasions their desire to see us tie the knot.

I rolled over and smiled as sweetly as I could at her. "Rose, you know our deal. You know what this is. After all, you're the one who suggested it. Besides, I got plans." I told her, slapping her ass.

"Well, do you wanna maybe hang out later? I miss the friends' part of our arrangement." She asked, slipping out the bed and picking up her trench coat off the floor.

"Got plans but I'll call you when I'm free."

She nodded and walked out towards the door. At the last minute she changed her mind and walked over and planted a small kiss on the side of face.

"I still think about you. I never stopped loving you, just so you know." She whispered before headed out the door.

God, why did she have to go and do that shit! It always messed with my head whenever she said stuff like that to me. It always took me back to the old days when we had first met. We had so much fun just being with each other.

~**Flashback~**

_Rosalie and I met during a joint Greek Life event. One of the sororities were having an auction to raise money for their philanthropy group, "Autism Speaks" by auctioning off dates from eligible bachelors from different frats. She out bid everyone else. She seemed so determined to make sure she was the one who went home with me that night. On our date, I asked her about it._

_"I saw you out there. You waited until I came out to start bidding. Why?"_

_She took a sip of her water before answering. "I like you. I've seen you around campus. The way you carry yourself and who you interact with. You stay away from the sluts and only hang out with classy women." She winked._

_From that date on, I was hooked. People always said we were a mismatched pair but I didn't care. We were so perfect together, until we weren't._

~**Flashback~**

"But those days are over. That's why you guys are just fuck buddies!" I told myself.

"Who are you talking to?" I heard my roommate call out from my door way. Edward Mason and I met when we both pledged the same frat. After bonding over our pledge task, we became really close. He actually became more than my frat brother. After our initiation, we began to think of each other as blood brothers. I only had my mom to depend on. My dad left us when I was 8 years old.

After living in the Frat house for a couple of years, we both decided to move off campus as we would need our space during our final two years of college. Edward and I were currently 5th year seniors; he was studying law and I was studying architecture.

So his parents and my mom pooled together to help us get the house we lived in now. It was of decent size with 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a full basement with a laundry room. As much spaced as it has, we only used about half of it.

"Just arguing with myself over nothing. What's up?" I flipped the covers back and placed my feet firmly on the floor.

"I was coming to see of you were ready. But I can tell that you are nowhere near."

"Ready? Ready for what?" I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.

Edward took a sip of the coffee from his mug and pushed off from the wall. "Remember a few months ago when I told you my sister was transferring to UW and my parents want her living with us rather than in a dorm."

I shook myself awake and thought about it. I remember him saying something about cleaning out the basement to make room for his sister. But I thought he meant for a summer visit. I kept forgetting that he had a sister. He didn't really talk about her too often so I took it as a sign to not ask.

"You forget. I should have known." He shook his head. I apologized and asked him what he needed me to do.

"She's flying in this afternoon at 4. Her friend Alice is going to pick her up so you and I can finish fixing up the basement and bring all her stuff from storage." Now that I remember; a few months, Edward kept getting boxes delivered to the house. One afternoon while he was out, I got curious and opened one. When I saw that it contained women's dresses, I jumped to conclusions and assumed that he was a cross-dresser. When I confronted him about it, well it was a very awkward and unpleasant conversation.

"Ok, give me thirty minutes to wake up and shower." I grabbed my pajama shorts from the floor and was getting ready to put them on but hesitated when I saw Edward was still in my room. On his face was a pained expression and he was looking everywhere but at me.

"Edward, if you got something to say just say it man." I laughed.

He chuckled dryly before looking at me.

"Emmett, you know you're my best friend and I would do anything for you right?" I nodded my head, not knowing where he was going with this.

"But at the same time, I know how you are. You will fuck almost anything with legs."

"What are you trying to say, Edward?"

"Isabella is my only sister. My baby sister. And I would do anything for her. So just…she's young and hasn't lived yet…" he struggled. I knew what he was getting at. Stay away from his sister.

"I got it. Don't worry. Baby Sis is off-limits. Besides if she looks anything like you, it would be like trying to bed Chewbacca." I joked.

Edward's face cracked into a smile. We had a mutual respect for each other so I would respect his wishes. Besides the girl probably wouldn't even be my type if she was anything like her brother.

I got out the bed and slipped into my boxers before straighten up my room. I may be a guy but I couldn't stand clutter. Once I had finished that I headed across the hall to the shower. While I was washing off, my mind went back to the chick I met last night. Izzy. I wish I could have gotten more but all she would tell me was her name and that she was here for school. There was something about this girl. It felt the same way it did when Rosalie and I started dating.

_"What is going on with you man? It was just a random girl. Some bar chick."_ I told myself while I was brushing my teeth. I couldn't understand why I was so obsessed with her. She was beautiful but there wasn't anything extremely special about her.

_"Wait, since when do you refer to chicks you meet in a bar as beautiful?"_ I questioned myself. I shook my head and headed back into my room. I pulled on a grey graphic tee and dark blue stonewash jeans. Once I slammed my feet into my boots, I headed into the kitchen only to catch Edward and his girlfriend of three years, Tanya Denali in a heated make out session.

"Get a room." I groaned. The two of them were a constant reminder why I liked my lifestyle. Man was not meant to be tied down to just one woman. And when they are, we turn into sappy, love sick puppy versions of themselves.

"Good morning to you too." She rolled her eyes and slid off the counter. I walked over to the fridge and grabbed some Gatorade. Edward placed one more kiss on Tanya's cheek before answering his cell phone.

"Hello?"

"Edward? It's Alice. You called me this morning?"

"Yeah, it's about Isabella. Her flight is scheduled to arrive at 4 at Gate A23. She promised me that she would wait until you got there before leaving and that she wouldn't talk to anyone. "

"Edward, relax. Bella and I chatted last night. I know everything. Esme and Carlisle made sure of that. All her furniture is in the storage unit and everything else has already come. Her bank account is set up and she is all registered for school. She only needs to meet with her counselor to set up her classes. Once she starts school, Carlisle will come out and help her buy a car."

"Yeah I know. It's just this is her first time away from home. And I just don't want anything to happen."

Alice assured him that everything would be fine before hanging up.

"You worry too much, sweetie. I am sure that Isabella will get here safe and sound. You are going to stress yourself out." Tanya told him, wiping off her lipstick from his face. She grabbed her bag off the counter and headed out the door, with promises to be back later.

"Man, you are really freaking out about this. I'm sure everything will be fine."

He nodded and motioned for me to follow him to the basement. When Edward was first told of his sister's exodus out here, he spent a lot of his free time fixing up the basement. He cleaned up the laundry and laid down tiles before we painted all the walls a pale powder blue.

"So I figured we could pull the truck right up the front yard and carry everything into here and then arrange it."

"Are you sure you don't want to let her do this?"

He shook his head no. "I can't have my Baby Sis moving furniture around. You know how chicks are. Always afraid to get their hands dirty."

I nodded my agreement and walked into the room and started opening boxes. It was close to 11 when we got all the boxes unpacked and majority of her clothes hung up in the closet.

"Man your sister is almost as bad as Alice when it comes to shopping." I told him as we hung up the umpteenth dress. I met her when she began dating our pledge brother Jasper Whitlock but Edward knew her from his hometown in New York. Apparently she grew up down the street from them and ran into Edward on day on campus.

"Yeah, Alice can't wait for her to be here. She'll finally have a shopping partner." He chuckled as we headed outside. Edward had gone out yesterday to pick up a U-Haul truck to bring all the furniture from the storage unit to the house.

By the time we got all the furniture out the storage unit, closed the account and got back to the house, it was almost 2:30pm. We were bringing in the boxes when Edward's phone started going on. He dropped the boxes off on the living room while I continued on and placed what I had in my arms in the living room of the basement. When I got back upstairs, Edward was leaning up against the truck, slapping his phone against his hand.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah; apparently my sister decided to catch an earlier flight so she'll be here in about an hour." He sighed, pulling out more boxes. I groaned and followed his lead, trying to get everything off the truck and into the house as quickly as possible. When we got to the heavier furniture, it was a bit of a slow go but by the time Alice called to say she had picked up his sister, Edward and I had unloaded thee entire truck and had everything in the basement.

I was sliding all the boxes into the spare bedroom when I heard Edward calling me. I slid off my packing gloves and ran up the stairs. Edward was in the kitchen chatting it up with who I assumed was his sister and Alice.

"Hey Emmett meet my sister, Bella." He smiled at me. I approached the group but found my steps faltered when I caught sight of a brunette beauty. The same brunette beauty I saw last night at the club.

"Izzy?"

"How did you know that was what I called my sister?" Edward questioned.

"I-uh-I didn't. I just- I'm sorry. It's just that you remind me someone I met last night at the club."

"Well it couldn't have been her Emmett. Her plane just arrived today. She just got to town today." He laughed incredulous.

I laughed lightly with him and apologized.

"I'm sorry I'm not Izzy. I'm Isabella but you can call me Bella or Bells. Either is fine." She stuck out her hand for me to shake. As I did, I took in her appearance. She wore a red cropped hoodie with a black shirt underneath, and dark jeans that flared out at the ankle only to reveal stylish custom converse sneakers.

_"This can't be his sister. They look nothing alike."_ I thought to myself. Edward had bronze colored hair and stood over 6 feet tall while she looked to be only 5'4. But she was hot. She didn't have a lot of curves but she worked with what she had. Her hair was styled so it fell over one shoulder and down her back with her long bangs swept over her left eye. And speaking of eyes, hers were a bright hazel brown color with specks of gold.

"It's nice to meet you Bella." I managed to squeak out embarrassingly.


	2. Speechless

**Chapter 2 - Speechless**

_"It was the quietest silence I've ever heard. It was just speechless. I couldn't explain in words what it felt like."__-__Tony Mortensen__  
_

"Nice to meet you as well Emmett!" she winked at me. I opened my mouth to say something but my words were caught in my throat.

She chuckled and went back to the conversation she was having with Alice about some fashion show that happened earlier this year. I gave a weak smile to no one and walked towards the bathroom. As soon as I got in, I splashed some cold water on my face. "It doesn't matter if she is the girl from last night. It doesn't even matter that she lied to your face or why she did it. All that matters is what Edward said. Remember what Edward said. She is off limits. No matter how hot she looks. She is off-limits." I looked down and adjusted myself before headed back out.

When I got back out to the kitchen, Edward was headed out the door behind Alice. "We'll hang out later, Bells. I promised Tanya she and I would have dinner tonight."

She waved her hand, telling Edward she would be fine here with me. Edward looked past her and gave me a look that said, "Remember what I told you." I nodded and headed into the living room.

"Hey thanks for not ratting me out to my brother about us meeting last night."

"It's fine but why didn't you tell me who you were. I'm sure you knew who I was. I mean I know your brother talks about me."

"He's a bit overprotective. I've actually been in town all summer. I was staying with Alice. We were both out last night but when I ran into you I couldn't resist spending some time with you."

"But Edward said you're a junior. Which would mean you're what? 19? 20 years old? That place is 21 and older."

"We both have fake ids. We've been going there all summer long. I'm surprised I haven't run into you before."

"So I'm just expected to keep up the charade in front of your brother? Keep pretending like we didn't meet at a club?"

"Trust me, it's for the best."

I shrugged and promised her I wouldn't say anything to him before heading back to the living room.

"And just where do you think you're going?" She smirked at me with a hand on her hip.

I shrugged. "I figured you would want some alone time to set your room up and relax after your long flight."

She chuckled. "More like Eddy told you to stay away from me huh?"

"Eddy? Is that what you call him? I thought he preferred to be called Edward. I remember he almost got into a fight with some guy during our pledge period for calling him that."

"I'm the only one who calls him that. When we were kids, I couldn't pronounce Edward so he told me to always call him Eddy. But don't let him hear you say that. He doesn't like for people to know that he has a soft side. Besides I'm gonna need some help putting my bed together. And I figured big strong guy like you would have no problem helping me with that task." She chuckled.

I couldn't tell if she was being serious or poking fun at the fact that I was cut up. I made sure that I worked out at least 4 times a week. That was one of the main things the females loved about me.

I pulled myself out of my thoughts just as she was carrying her luggage down the stairs. I contemplated following her for a second before she called out to me, "Are you coming?" That was all the invitation I needed.

I headed down the stairs where Bella was checking out her room. "Who unpacked the clothes?"

"Your brother and I did. I told him to wait until you got here but he insisted on attempting to have it all done before you got here. He was worried about you all morning. He even called Alice early this morning with instructions."

She chuckled and shook her head. "He's always been like that. Never letting me do anything for myself." She pulled off her hoodie and sneakers before throwing one her suitcases on top of a storage bin. She rooted around for a bit before pulling out a pair of shorts and a tank top.

"Excuse me." she said, pushing me out the door. I nodded my understanding and waited for her to finish changing her clothes. When she finally opened her door again, I had sorted through all the boxes and bins and found the parts of her bed.

"So what brings you out here? You know besides finishing school."

She grabbed some of the pieces of the bed frame and huffed. "I just wanted to get out of the city; I needed a change of scenery. Not to mention I missed Eddy."

I nodded but I could tell that there was something else there. Something she didn't want anyone else to know.

She didn't say anything else on the subject so I kept my mouth shut. Once we had attached all of the bedframe to each other, we brought in the small dresser to it. "So is what my brother said about you true?" She smiled at me, holding the tools while I worked.

"Well that is strictly a matter of opinion. It also depends on what he said. What exactly did he tell you?"

She shrugged her shoulder a little innocently. "Well when Dad told him I was coming out here at first he was excited. But then he got kinda nervous. When I asked him what was wrong, he said that he had a roommate. I had heard of you but I was never home when he brought you along on his breaks. I think he planned it that way though. So I asked him if he didn't want us to meet for some reason. He told me that basically that you were trouble. You don't have any respect for women and you only think of them as your playthings. You are a bon-a-fide lady killer. And that I should stay away from you."

I leaned up and looked her right in the eye. "So then why are you not staying away from me?"

She leaned in and met my gaze. "I've never been one for following the rules." She whispered seductively before sauntering out the room to bring in the mattress. I caught sight of her shapely ass and almost came right there. "God if this is some karma BS, I get it. I so get it."

By the time Edward returned from hanging with Tanya, Bella and I had finished getting all the furniture in her room. Her queen size captain's bed was pushed into the center of her room, across from her entertainment center. On the wall closes to the door we affixed a simple loft with a small armoire attached and a bookshelf above it.

"Hey where is everybody?" I heard Edward call.

"We're down here!" she shouted out.

Edward ran down the steps and joined us. He took a quick look around the furnished room and whistled his appreciation.

"This came together really nicely. But I would have helped you put it all together, Bells."

"I know but Emmett was here and he was sweet enough to help me." She hugged me, much to Edward's dismay.

"Yeah cause Emmett is just full of love and sweetness." He glared at me. I shrugged my shoulders and slinked out of her embrace and out of the awkwardness. As I was heading up the stairs, I could hear Edward warning Bella about me again. I knew he was just looking out for his sister but he had nothing to worry about. I mean not once while I was helping her out did she look at me like she wanted to fuck me nor did she fall for any of my lines. I didn't know if it was because she was off limits or it was because she was so laid back but I was intrigued by this girl. She was so different than the others. If I wasn't careful I would end up being best friends with her. Strictly best friends; something I swore I would never do. Man this girl was making me change all my rules.

I walked into the living room and plopped down on the couch, figuring I would play a few games before ordering some pizza or something for dinner. I had only been playing some Call of Duty with my online friends for a few minutes when I heard the sibling duo coming up the steps. "I don't see how you live like this. I thought Mom and Dad sent you money every month."

"They do but in case you haven't notice I don't exactly have time to get out the house. I'm at school every morning and I'm lucky if I'm home and finished with work 9pm. So excuse me for spending my weekends to catch up on sleep." He countered.

I didn't know what they were talking about but I was glad to see the conversation was no longer focused on me.

"Fine. Emmett you're driving me to the store." She called out before disappearing back downstairs.

I pulled off my headset and looked over at Edward. "She wants to go food shopping. Apparently what we have isn't good enough for her." He claimed.

"She might be right." I joked. All we had in the fridge was beer and some left over Chinese from a couple nights ago.

When Bella came back upstairs, she was wearing the same outfit she had on earlier. She slid her copy of the house key into her pocket and grabbed her wallet out of her purse on the table.

"At least let me give you some money. After all you're buying food all of us." He started, reaching into his pocket for his wallet. She held her hand out, telling him no. "Dad made sure to give me a decent amount of money to go food shopping. Apparently your girlfriend is tired of you not having food in the house." She called out before walking out the door.

I locked up and lead her over to my jeep. I walked around to the passenger side, expecting to have to help her get in but she showed me by swinging her legs around and sliding in with ease.

"So what are you studying?" I asked her, trying to make conversation.

"Business Administration and Fashion; I want to design my own fashion line someday. What about you?" Girl had dreams. I admire that.

"I study Business Administration and Architecture. I'll be finishing up my Master's this fall."

"And here I thought you would have some bullshit major like English or Philosophy. Considering you're a frat boy."

"Got something against frat boys?" I smirked at her. And for the first time, she didn't have her usual confidence about her. Her face fell a bit and she looked like she was reflecting on something or someone from her past.

"Yeah, even though they say they are different. Underneath it all they are all the same." She murmured.

I didn't say any more on the subject but figured it had something to do with the real reason for moving out here. So I opted for talking about some of the things I remember Edward telling me about her.

"So your brother tells me that you're a pretty decent cook. That when you two were growing up, you did a lot of baking?" That did the trick. The smile and confidence was back. She went on talking about the different types of dessert she had mastered over the years. When we pulled up in front of the grocery store, Bella wasted no time getting out the jeep and grabbing a cart. As I followed her in, she instructed me to get a cart as well, as we had a lot to buy. As she loaded up both carts with a lot of fresh vegetables, I figured she was one of those salad-eating chicks.

"So are you allergic to anything?" She asked pulling a couple of jars of salsa off the shelves. I shook my head no but explained how I didn't like mushrooms. She nodded and went back to shopping.

Several hundred dollars later, we loaded all the food into the jeep and headed back. On the ride to the house, we discussed things we do in our spare time. I found out that we had more in common than I realized. She loved watching football, working out and going clubbing obviously. I knew then that it would be easier to not want to sleep with her if I just thought of her as one of the boys.

When we got back at the house, Edward was leaving for his date. "Hey Bells, come here. I want you to meet someone." He called out to her. I unlocked the door and watched her as she got out. I parked my Jeep in the driveway and carried the groceries into the house.

Just as I was putting the fruit into the fridge, Bella joined me in the kitchen. "So that's the infamous Tanya Denali, huh?"

"Yeah, the one and only. What did you think of her?"

She shrugged. "She's good for him. But I think he loves her more than she loves him."

"What do you mean?" I asked. They both seemed to be head over heels for each other. They were always together and always making out.

"I know my brother. He has always been a hopeless romantic. Ever since we were little kids, he has idolized the relationship our mother and father have. He wants a love like theirs."

"Well that would explain why he's been with the same person all this time. I don't even think they have closed the deal. He seems like the type to wait until he's married to seal the deal."

Once again, Bella didn't respond. She simply faltered putting the cans away. "Yeah I wish I would have as well." She whispered.

"Is that part of the reason why you moved out here?" I asked her.

She opened her mouth to speak for second before deciding against it.

"How about we go out to a bar tonight; just the two of us. You can show me what the Washington nightlife has to offer for people my age." She winked.

I thought about it. I knew Edward would have a problem with me taking his sister out but would be equally mad if I let her go out on her own.

"Sure. I know the perfect place. There's this little bar right on the edge of town I like to go to when I want to unwind; called Ray's. They make some of the best burgers I've ever had. And it's the only place you can get into since you're not 21 yet."

"Well let's get all this put away. And don't worry about Big Brother. I'll tell him it was all my idea."


	3. This Girl is Trouble

**Chapter 3 – This Girl is Trouble**

_One trouble with trouble is that it usually starts out like fun. - Unknown_

_It takes two to get one in trouble. – Mae West_

As soon as we entered the bar, I got a feeling in the pit of my stomach that I had only gotten a couple other times in my life. The last time I got, it was the day that my dad told me he was going to the store for my surprise and never came back. Even at 8 years old, I knew people didn't pack suitcases to go to the store.

I took a seat at the bar and signaled the bartender. "Cory! Hey! Can I get two of your Ray burgers, fries with salt and pepper, 1 coke, a Miller and a shot of bourbon? Thanks." He nodded and walked off to go put the order in. Bella took a seat on the stool next to me, looking around.

"So what do you think?"

She shook her head and smiled again. "Well there are plenty of bars in New York but nothing like this. The bars and clubs there are a bit more rowdy so you always have to always watch your back."

She was right. There always seemed to be some story on the news about a fight turned ugly in the clubs in the larger cities.

"So is this it? I mean I thought you said this is a place where people dance." She asked, dancing in her seat. I watched her hips move for a bit before tearing my gaze away, taking a sip of my beer.

"All of that happens upstairs. I promised you the best burger and this is where we get them."

While we waiting for the burgers to come, I asked her more about her life in New York. Namely why would anyone want to leave a huge city like that for a small town in always ordinary Washington State.

"To put it simply, there were too many bad memories in New York. I was involved with a guy that I shouldn't have been. It was a fail relationship from the start but I couldn't help it. He just had this appeal about him that made him so sexy."

"He was a bad boy?" I supplied.

She nodded and smiled. "Riley and I met during my freshman year. He was a typical frat boy. He loved to party and show off. At the end of the day I was a basically his trophy girlfriend. A pretty face for him to be seen with." She chuckled and drank some of her coke.

Just then Cory came over with our orders. After I got some ketchup, I asked her to continue on with her story.

"In the beginning things were okay. You know I felt kinda special about being seen with him. I was the lucky freshman that a junior decided to date. Not only that, but he was sort of a legend on campus. Essentially he's the Van Wilder of the campus. To be on his arm meant that you were someone special. Someone deserving of his time.

"The summer after my freshman year, things slowly began to fall apart. He was drinking more and would disappear for weeks at a time. Everyone kept telling me that he was trouble, that I shouldn't have trusted him." She paused, shaking her head. I knew the next part was the difficult part.

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me. We all have those skeletons in our closets that we don't want to talk about."

"No. It's not that it's hard to talk about. I just…I just don't want Eddy finding out. My parents kept it from him. They didn't want to worry him too much. He's always been super protective of me. I remember when this boy pushed me off the swing set when I was just 6 years old. Eddy got so pissed off when I came home with the scraps and gashes. He stalked down to the playground and beat the kid so badly he was out of school for an entire month healing."

"You came out here to get away from him. He was abusive and a bit of a drunkard wasn't he?" I asked, although I knew it was true.

"The first few times it happened, I covered it up. Make up, long sleeve shirts. Then he stopped. Told me that he loved me and it wouldn't happen again. We went out, had dinners with my friends and my parents. No one trusted him but they kept it to themselves out of respect for me.

"Then it started up again. The last time it happened, it was so bad; I had to go to the hospital. My parents pressed charges and got a restraining order against him. But my Dad didn't think it would be enough. So they shipped you out here, in the hopes that he wouldn't find you." I gritted out. I knew that I didn't have a lot of respect for women but there was one thing that I couldn't stand and that was guys who hit women.

"Emmett, I know this is asking a lot but please don't tell my brother. If he found out, I –he would be devastated. Eddy would only blame himself for leaving me in New York without any way to defend myself. Please, promise me." She looked me dead in my face, begging me with her eyes.

"I won't say anything to him. But you know he is going to want to know. I understand that the wound is still pretty fresh. But Edward has been like a brother to me. And if he was in my place now and if you were my younger sister, I would want to know." I told her.

She nodded and looked everywhere but at me. I finished off my burger and ordered another beer.

"Hey, let's head upstairs and play some pool. Lighten up the mood a bit." I asked, hoping it would bring back that beautiful smile to her face.

She finished off her coke and pulled me towards the stairs that lead to the upper bar, the dance area and a couple of pool tables. When we got settled in, I went to the bar and ordered another beer and a coke for Bella.

"So are you here all alone sweet thang? Because I would love to keep you company all night. And then you can keep me up til dawn, if you know what I'm saying." Some jerk was trying to put the moves on her, making her feel very uncomfortable.

"She's with me, buddy." I pushed in between them and threw my arm around her shoulders to prove my point.

"Yeah well maybe she wants to be with me." He sneered and grabbed her arm. Bella tried to pull her arm of his grasp but he had a tight grip on her. I shoved him square in the shoulders and turned my attention back to Bella.

But before I could open my mouth, the guy tried to slug me but was too drunk and ended up grazing my shoulder but connected with Bella's chin. That sent me over the edge. The next thing I knew there was a full on brawl between me, the guy and the guy's friends. At one point I saw Bella on one of the guy's backs trying to pry them off of me. It wasn't long before the bouncers came over and pulled everyone off everyone and carted us all outside. In the hustle and bustle, I lost sight of Bella but found her again once I was outside.

"Are you okay?" She asked, holding my chin looking at my face from different angles.

I chuckled and spat out some blood. "You should see the other guy."

She laughed along with me and threw my arm onto her tiny shoulder, guiding me to the car. Just as we reached the end of the alley, I heard the guy call out to Bella once more.

"Hey sweet cheeks, if you want to go home with a real man, I got plenty of room in my truck."

I rolled my neck clockwise and called out to the guy, "Now why did you have to go and say something like that? We were leaving and it was all going to be over."

The guy scoffed at me and tried walking away. I grabbed his shoulder and pulled my fist back before punching him in the face again. The brawl was back on but this time it was between just me and him. We slammed all over the alley into the dumpsters and the brick walls for a bit before the cops showed up, ruining all my fun.

"All right! You two down on the ground. The rest of you, I suggest you go to your cars." The officer called out to the group forming. Bella looked panic for a bit, not quite sure what to do.

As I passed her, I told her to drive my jeep to the station and call her brother. She gave a look of bewilderment but I knew what I was saying. After all, he was studying to be a lawyer.

"YOU GOT MY SISTER ARRESTED! WHAT THE FUCK EMMETT!" Edward shouted at me outside the station. After the police brought us in, they were able to sort out fairly quickly what happened and released me into Edward's custody once he got there.

"Go easy on him Eddy. It wasn't his fault. It was all that guy." She pointed back to the building.

"She wasn't arrested. They just questioned her about the fight in the bar." I told him, regretting it as soon as it came out of my mouth. I knew he would blow his top once he found out that I took his precious baby sis out to a bar.

"Emmett, she is only 20 years old. How did you even get her into the place?" He fumed.

I sighed. "Look, we went to Ray's. It's 18 and older. She drank Coke all night. I had one shot of bourbon and a couple of beers. Some guy started getting fresh with her, so I went to her side and tried to get the guy to leave her alone. He didn't so we fought."

He didn't say anything, just kept running his hand along his neck.

"Edward, she asked me to take her out. She just wanted to have some fun. I just couldn't let the guy disrespect her like that."

He mumbled something before walking off towards his car. Bella stepped out of the doorway and placed a kiss on one of my bruises.

"Thanks for having my back slugger."

"Anytime." I told her, watching as she walked toward Edward's car. I started walking towards the Jeep when my phone started buzzing in my pocket.

_Rose: Just got out of the shower, wondering if you want to come over and help me lotion my back and legs_

Before I typed out my reply, I looked up and saw Bella wink at me once more before getting into her brother's car. I smiled and looked back down at the phone.

_Boo: No thanks. Gonna head home and read for a little bit._

After leaving the police station, I drove around for a bit, not quite sure where I wanted to go. I didn't want to go home and deal with more of Edward's lectures or the thoughts that were lingering in the back of my mind.

When I arrived back home, all the lights were off and everyone seemed to have already gone to bed. I headed into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water just as the lights came on.

"Hey can we talk?" I heard Edward asked. I figured he was gonna chew me out more but that thought left me as soon as I saw his face. He looked troubled, slightly worried.

"Is uh- is everything okay?"

He nodded and took a seat at the table. "Yeah. I'm sorry for snapping on you at the police station. You were right; you were just trying to watch out for her. To make sure she was going to be okay. You did what I would have done. What I should have done."

I knew what he was talking about. "She told you about New York?"

He sniffled and nodded. "When my parents told me that I was going to have a little sister, I felt so happy. I was going to be a big brother. I helped out so much when she arrived. I didn't want to be away from her. I slept on the floor of her nursery for the first week of her life. When our dad found out he pulled me into his study and he looked me right in the eye and said, "Edward, being a big brother means always being there for your little sister. Protect her, to make sure harm never comes her way. Always make sure that she is safe."

"You can't blame yourself for what that asshole did. It wasn't your fault." I tried to assure him.

He slammed his hand on the table. "Yeah but I should have been there for her. I'm her big brother. It's my job to protect her. The way you did earlier tonight."

"I just did what I thought you would do. Besides, I knew you wouldn't forgive me if something did happen to her and I didn't do anything to stop it."

He nodded and gave me a small smile.

**AN: Next chapter will dig a little deeper into the playful side of Emmett.**


	4. Ignorance is Bliss

**Chapter 4 – Ignorance is Bliss**

_Ignorance__is bliss, listen to only what you want to hear, do what makes you happy. – Unknown_

When I woke up, I quickly showered and left the house, going for a run. I wasn't a fitness nut but I did like to keep in shape. So I mostly ran during the spring and summer, taking my work out to the gym when the weather became cold.

"She's Edward's sister. He told you to stay away from her. And she comes with a lot of baggage man. Just let it go." I told myself as I passed the one mile marker. I turned up my music, hoping it would drown out the thoughts of Bella's laughter and the way her touch sent shivers up my spine.

When I reached the second mile marker, I took a break and stretched, spying a familiar back side. I never knew her name but she always ran around the same time I did. I never said more than two words to her but seeing her now and with the way I was feeling, I figured it would warrant something more than just a friendly nod in passing.

"You know, I've seen you running along this path for a while now but I've never thought you would slow down enough for me to say something to you." I smiled.

"And just what kind of person would I be if I fell for a line like that?" she asked, turning to face me as she continued her stretching. I nodded, not letting it deter me. I knew how to deal with women like the one in front of me. She obviously took great care of her body and knew that it garnered a lot of attention from the opposite sex. But it all went to her head. I needed her to think that I wasn't interested in her at all to get her to open up.

"It's not a line. I said that, figuring maybe you were training for a marathon or something. When you run, you're so in the zone that you didn't even notice when you clipped me back at ¾ mark."

She stretched her hands behind her back, cracking it before returning upright. "I'm sorry and you're right. I do get in the zone a lot when I'm running that I'm a bit oblivious when it comes to anything else. Did I hurt you?" she asked, coming a bit closer.

"I don't think so. Well not physically anyway. But my ego is a bit bruised. You see I am training for a marathon and I need to be in the best shape if I'm going to be my personal best." I smirked.

My running buddy gave me a flirtatious smile and ran her hand along the vein in my shoulder. "Well maybe I can help you out with a few pointers. I ran a marathon last year and I know how important stamina is," She stuck her hand out and introduced herself as Lauren Mallory. I flashed my cocky smile as I told her my name, commenting once more on her dedication to physical education.

After exchanging numbers, we made plans to hook up later that day. I ran back, completing my four mile run, ending it at the coffee shop near the trail. I typically stopped in after my run to grab some water and a bit of fruit before heading back to the house to recharge my battery with an afternoon romp. I wasn't sure who I wanted today but I was certain I wouldn't be disappointed.

To my delight, the house was empty when I returned from my jaunt. Out of respect for Edward, I only allowed Rose in the house. And as I reeked of sex, coffee and sweat, I needed to get in the shower. I ran up to my room and stripped off my clothes to be washed later and headed across the hall to my bathroom. As I stood under the water, letting it cascade down my back, I felt a slight sting. Reaching back, I felt small scratches running up and down near my spine.

Chelsea was a bit kinky when it came to our sexual tryst. She was loud and always felt the need to claw my back when she experienced her orgasms. Yeah it stung, but I preferred it to her biting. I cleaned away her scent just as my phone started ringing off once more. I quickly recognized the ringtone as the one I assigned to Lauren. I wasn't surprised she was calling already but as I just experienced some pleasure, I figured she could wait until I rested for a bit before scheduling a time to meet.

Once I was cleaned up, I threw open the curtain and wrapped a towel around my waist just as Bella walked in.

"When did you get home?" She asked, completely oblivious to the fact that I was in my towel.

"Little bit ago. Where were you?" I asked as I edged towards the door slowly. Bella was putting make up on her face.

"Downstairs, chatting with Alice. We're going shopping. I take it you had fun jogging earlier?" I turned to ask her what she meant but realized that she saw the scratches on my back. She rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the mirror and her makeup. Once again, I felt like she was teasing me, testing my limits to see just how far I would go with her. I could feel her eyes on mine as I walked into my room, so I decided to see just how far she was willing to take this game.

"So you and Alice are going shopping?" I called out, hoping she would come to my room to continue the conversation. Like I anticipated, I heard her footsteps coming towards my room just as I stood up and dropped my towel, heading to my closet. As I was pulling out a shirt to wear, I heard her let out a small barely audible gasp. By the time I turned around she had collected herself and was carrying on as if I wasn't naked in front of her.

"Yeah, I wanted to add a few things to my wardrobe and I value Alice's opinion. You're more than welcome to join us; I know Jasper won't mind." she smirked. I shrugged and told her I would tag along. She widened her smirk as if she had something up her sleeve as Bella turned on her heel and walked back into the bathroom to finish getting ready.

As Alice and Bella walked ahead of us, Jasper asked how it was having Bella in the house.

"She's definitely not what I was expecting. The way that Edward described her, I was picturing some sweet and innocent little girl who would be a lot like her older brother. But as you can see, she is nothing like Edward." I told him, watching Bella lean in to say something to Alice, sneaking a glance at me.

When I told him about the way she acted around me and the incident at Ray's, Jasper shook his head, chuckling. I of course made it worse by stating that I felt like I was experiencing something similar to love. Jasper quickly stopped laughing and stared at me for a minute before asking if I was serious.

"There's something about her that I just can't…I don't know but there's a spark or something between us. She makes me second guess myself. I turned down Rose the other night because of Bella. You tell me if I'm serious." The girls paused in front of a store, waiting for us to catch up but I waved my hand and told them to walk in. Jasper and I took a seat on the bench near the store so we could continue our conversation.

"You really don't see it do you?" he looked at me incredulously.

"What? What is it?"

"It's neither love nor lust that you feel for Bella. It's the temptation of it all."

"What do you mean?"

"You and Bella are exactly the same person. You have the same personality and outlook on life. That's why you feel so comfortable with her. You only think that you're confused around her because it's forbidden but the truth is you've never been around someone who is so much like you."

I watched as Bella and Alice walked around the store and considered what Jasper was saying. There were small similarities in our personalities and our mannerisms that I noticed at first glance. Was possible that Jasper was right? All that I felt for Bella was a sense of likeness. That she was a female version of myself was too much for me to process at the moment. I said nothing but walked into the store keeping my eye on Bella.

The way she walked and carried herself was similar to the way that I did; a walk that would ooze my confidence. Jasper was right. There was no mutual attraction; it was just Bella projecting what she liked. The first thing she asked was if her brother told me to stay away from her. It was the temptation and the temptation alone that I liked. This meant that I was the same person I was before she moved in. This also meant that I was overdue for some fun.

So I pulled out my phone and texted Lauren, asking when she would be free again. She responded rather quickly stating she and her roommate was running a couple of errands but she would be available later that day. I told her that I didn't know if I would be available and just like that she was suddenly free. All it took was one talk with jasper and I was back in the saddle where I belonged. 15 minutes later I was being picked up and in another 20 I was in her bed, making her moan and squirm.


	5. Not What I Thought

**Chapter 5 – Not What I Thought**

_Very few of us are what we seem.__ – Agatha Christie_

When Jasper walked in the store alone, I tried not to make it obvious that I was looking for Emmett. I knew that Eddy told me to stay away from him but I couldn't see why other than the age difference. I wasn't like most girls who went after something because it was forbidden or because it a challenge, some prize to be won. I just hated that my big brother felt it was his responsibility to choose who I could or could not be friends with, and by extension, date.

Before I even arrived, he informed me of the Emmett he was living with. The picture that he painted of his friend wasn't the same image I was seeing. Eddy said he was a bit of a man whore who couldn't be trusted to understand complex feelings of love or the ideal of monogamy unless he was using it to gain something only to be thrown away when he was bored.

The Emmett I met seemed sweet and kind, a bit of a flirt but cautious. But maybe I misread the situation. Maybe he was only being nice to me since I was his frat brother's little sister. The way he acted in Ray's was symbolic of a classic adopted little sister relationship, not defending his girlfriend's honor. Not that I wanted to date him or anything but there was something about him that just pulled me in.

"You okay over there Bella?" Alice asked, interrupting my internal monologue. I nodded and watched with slight jealously the display of public affection Jasper lavished her with. As it was a constant thing, it could be a bit nauseating but if you knew them and knew what they had to go through to become the people they were now, you would put up with it. They truly were the perfect couple.

I knew that Jasper had a pretty rough life and grew up feeling like he would never find someone as wonderful as Alice. He mistook what he had with Maria, his previous girlfriend for love. He was head over heels in love with her but she was very manipulative and only acted like she cared for him. Alice was never shown real love growing up after her mother's murder and her father's new wife made him believe that she was trouble, kicking her out while still in high school. She stayed with friends before finally being taken in by my parents. Although they treated her as one of their own, the damage always remained in the back of her mind.

But all of those past hurts and memories were wipe away when Jasper and Alice found each other. It truly was love at first sight for them.

"Yeah, just wondering where Emmett disappeared to." I said, sounding too much like I cared. And it was made more obvious by Jasper.

"He uh, he had a date. She picked him a bit ago." He stated before Alice jumped in. "Call it what it is, he's going to sleep with yet another bimbo or some slut he just met. Then he'll come back 'Whistling Dixie' with a shit eating grin on his face as if he doesn't have a care in the world." She scoffed candidly, searching through the racks for another option.

Jasper cleared his throat and jerked his head in my direction but I quickly my face was quickly devoid of any emotion. "So Eddy was right. He's a bit of a man whore." I shrugged.

"Man whore doesn't even cover it. I swear when he and Jasper shared a room, there was never a time he would return from somewhere and not find a sock on the doorknob." Alice snorted.

"Yeah but it's not all his fault. He's had it pretty rough, just like us. His dad left him and his mom when he was pretty young so he didn't have a man to set him straight and then Rosalie…whew!"

"No, not just like us. His father left but his mother made sure she instilled respect for women within him. I understand he was heartbroken but it's been two years, he needs to move on. You did after Maria and I didn't let my harsh past make me cynical to love." Alice rolled her eyes offering him no sympathy.

The name Rosalie sounded familiar but I couldn't remember why. When I asked Jasper, he gave me a soft look. "Rosalie was Emmett's first real and serious girlfriend. Sure he had his flings and his week-long relationships but Rose, she was different. Emmett felt that she was like him because she was sought after by several guys in our fraternity but she made it clear from the beginning that she was a catch and would be the only one in his life. So Emmett gave up his playboy ways and focused solely on her. She loved the attention and he loved her. They dated for three years and the night of his graduation, he went over to propose. Can you figure out what happened?"

I nodded. "She broke his heart by saying no so now he is cautious with his heart and prefers to sleep around rather than settle down and risk it once again."

"If only it were that simple," Alice said. "He found her in bed with two of his frat brothers. And when he asked her why she did it, she couldn't give him a reason; or at least not a valid reason. It tore him apart. So he went back to his old way but now he doesn't even bother with trying to get to know someone. He just turns on the charm and has them in bed within a few minutes of meeting them."

"For him, there is no such thing as love anymore. He only sees it as a game, get in and get some without falling in love. Always making sure that he isn't the one with a broken heart at the end."

Hearing from Alice and Jasper, I wasn't sure if I wanted to pity him or scoff at his stupidity. There were plenty of people who experienced earth shattering heartbreak. But you were supposed to learn from it and move on, being careful so you didn't make the same mistake over and over again. You didn't wallow in it and use it as an excuse to be a man whore.

After a couple more hours at the mall and after a late lunch, I returned home to a "Whistling Dixie" Emmett getting out the shower, the shit eating grin plastered on his face.


	6. Seeing is Believing

**Chapter 6 – Seeing is Believing**

"_Love is a believing creature"__ – Ovid_

With only a week to go before the official start of classes, I was looking forward to getting out the house more and more. Emmett was spending more and more time with his women, none of them a constant. How he keeps track of them all, I don't know. I'd been avoiding him like the plague since my shopping trip. I carefully made sure I was busy or out of the house when it appeared Eddy would leave us alone. As his internship at the hospital was getting underway, he was almost always gone throughout the night and spending his free time with Tanya.

But today he and I would finally spend some time together. In an effort to be better prepared, I asked him to give me a tour of the campus as well as help me discover the best routes for my classes. So I of course was shocked when I saw the note from him on the counter.

"_Sorry, Tanya called with an emergency. Arranged for Emmett to show you around school. Make it up to you. Promise." _

It was hastily written and very unlike him. I rolled my eyes and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge just as I heard Emmett greet me.

"Morning Bells. How'd you sleep?"

"Not as well as you, I'm sure." I scoffed, attempting to walk past him. He reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me back into the kitchen. I looked down at his grip and back to him, hoping he would get the message that I wanted him to let me go. He didn't. "What's going on with you? Have I offended you in some way?"

"You want to let me go?"

"No, not until you tell me what is bothering you?"

Choosing not to reveal the real issue, I lied and said I was upset about Edward brushing me off for Tanya again. He started in my face so hard I was forced to cast my eyes downward. Eventually Emmett let out a sigh and released me from his grip. "I thought you were mad at me or something. Lately you've been so cold towards me; I felt like you were ignoring me."

I chuckled and murmured under my breath, "Surprised you noticed me with all the attention you been lavishing on others."

"So let me shower and take care of some business and then we can drive over to the school." He explained, grabbing an apple and "Whistling Dixie" once more.

When I heard his door close, I slid down to the floor, fighting back my anger. I always feel for the guys who didn't deserve me and wouldn't appreciate what they had when they had me. I knew this and yet I continued to make the mistake. I came out here because I was determined to break the vicious cycle. So I would just have to fall out of whatever I felt with Emmett. And the perfect motivation had just walked into the kitchen in the midst of my mental break down.

"Are you okay?" I heard a voice as "smooth as ice" call out from the doorway. I looked up to see a tall, statuesque-like woman who had the potential to be a famous model. Her slender figure made me feel like I was 300 pounds overweight and dressed in a potato sack. She flipped her perfectly golden hair over her shoulder with carefully manicured nails.

"Yeah, just a little pissed off at my brother," I stated, getting up from the floor. I dusted the bottom of my jeans off and stuck my hand out to greet her. "I'm Bella."

The beautiful woman looked at it distastefully and slipped her three inch heels onto her feet. "Right, Emmett mentioned something about you. Funny you're plainer than I thought you would be. Oh well, we can't all be models and bombshells." She smiled conceitedly. My mind then spoke what I didn't want to be true. This couldn't be The One. The bitch that ripped Emmett's heart out and stomped all over it. There was no way this was…

"By the way, the name's Rosalie." She called out as she walked out the door.

I was floored. After what Alice and Jasper told me about her and the way she treated Emmett, why would she even be here? Why would he continue any semblance of a relationship with her? Despite my earlier conversation, I wanted to know. I couldn't focus on anything else until I knew. So I climbed the stairs, taking them two at a time and barged right into his bathroom, the guilt shower well underway. The entire place was filled with steam which furthered my rage.

"Bella! What are you doing in here?" he called out, suddenly shy.

"Oh nothing, just figured we could talk," I replied, hopping up onto the counter. After some time, I made my voice sweet as I told him what happened downstairs.

"So I just met Rosalie and I have to tell you, she is such a doll. A real bon-a-fide, superficial doll." Emmett scoffed and asked if I was going to give him shit as well. "I've already heard it from Edward, Alice, Jasper and a few others. So you mind as well throw your two cents into the pot too."

"It's just…Jasper told me what happened between you guys and I don't know, I guess I figured you wouldn't want anything to do with her." I said in a small voice.

"The thing is, Rose and I were actually good friends before we got involved and the best part of our relationship was always the sex. So yeah she broke my heart but once my heart healed, I was open to being friends with benefits with her. I get laid and she gets to spend time with me. It's the best of both worlds." He rationalized.

"And you don't think someone's feelings will get involved eventually and someone, namely her, is going to want more?"

"She's already there but she knows what this is. Just like the others. They all know that I'm only looking for a few hours of fun. Nothing more, nothing less. That's why I do it at their place; makes it easier for me to leave. I'm not ready to settle down and I don't think I'll be ready for that any time in the near future. I'm 24 years old and these are my golden years. Why should I waste any of that by being locked in a relationship that I know will only end in me getting bored and becoming all about the sex?"

"I guess you shouldn't." I murmured, slipping out the door to get dressed.

**AN: Next chapter will go back in time to the break up and how he and Rose became friends with benefits. If you have any ideas, review and let me know!**


	7. The Past

**Chapter 7 – The Past**

"_You can't repeat the past"__ – Nick Carraway, The Great Gatsby _

"So I have to know. How did you and Rose go from being in a relationship to possibly being engaged to whatever you call whatever you're doing now?" I asked as we drove to the campus.

"That is a story best suited for another day." He tried to wave me off but I wanted to know. Living around my brother, I guess I assumed some of his romantic notions would rub off on Emmett and make him see the joys that come with being in a relationship.

"You really want to know?" He asked after a few minutes of me pouting.

I nodded and turned in my seat to look at him. He sighed and got a faraway look in his eyes as he recalled just how things went from good to bad.

"_Rosalie and I had been together for quite some time now. I met her parents and saw that she was very much like her mother. Her father was a man who felt that security and love were one in the same and could be bought for the right price. My mother on the other hand, didn't immediately like her. She felt like Rose was too city for a country boy like me. When she mentioned having a wedding at our family farm, I swear she cringed. But my mother like that Rose made me happy. So when I told my mother I wanted to marry her and asked for my grandmother's ring, she asked me to take some time and ensure that it was what I wanted. I swear that ring must have burned a hole in all of my pants pockets. So on the night of our three year anniversary, I decided it was the perfect time to ask her to spend forever with me. Although we had just moved in together, I was ready to make a giant leap and make the move thing more permanent._

"_I unlocked the door and walked in to our place. All the lights were out save for the ones in the second bedroom. I figured she was just unpacking or something. I had no idea what I was walking into until the door opened. And there she was completely naked and riding my frat brother Paul while my other frat brother, Riley, pumped himself into her mouth. I have no idea how long I stood there just waiting for one of them to notice me. Only when Riley finished did he clear his throat. There was no shame or desire to cover up with either of them. She turned and shrieked before stating, 'Emmett, you're home early. I, uh…we need to talk.' I charged in there and started throwing punches. She kept calling out to me to stop but I wanted them to hurt as much as I did in that moment. Eventually she managed to pull me off them and forced me out of the room. I walked outside and punched the brick wall until my knuckles bled._

"_She came out a few minutes later and we had it out right there on the lawn. She tried to turn it around on me, stating that I couldn't keep her pleased and satisfied. I was the one who forced her to seek sexual release elsewhere. Because I allowed my emotions and my feelings for her to blind me to what she truly needed when it came to the bedroom._

"_So I set out to prove to her that I could be what she wanted. I was willing to forgive her indiscretion and marry her if she would be willing to teach me to pleasure her. But she stated it wasn't something I could learn. That it was something I needed to be, to feel and experience in the heat of the moment. I got down on one knee and threw a Hail Mary: I proposed._

"_It broke my heart when she said no. I knew there was nothing I could do to change her mind so I set out to become exactly what she wanted. I changed everything about myself and turned into an exact copy of the assholes she cheated on me with. When she saw me, I knew I had her hooked. I treated her exactly the way she wanted to be treated and when it came to the sex, I knew that I surprised her. As I was dressing to go, she state that this was what she wanted with me all along. 'We should continue our relationship like this. No feelings or pesky emotions getting in the way. Just fucking.' I wanted to give her a reason why it wouldn't work but she was right. And the more we fucked, the better our relationship appeared to be._

"I thought that if I gave her what she wanted, she would eventually want to be married. But as time went on, I realized that I liked who I became. Rose had it right. Feelings and emotions just get in the way of a good time. It was something my father apparently knew and now it's a lesson that I use to live my life. All girls say they want the nice guy but in reality, they want the asshole. The one who will fuck their brains out and call them only when they want to do it again. Everything else is just unnecessary drama. And anyone who says otherwise is just fooling themselves."

"So you don't think that you'll ever go back to the way you were. This is who you are content with being?" Bella asked me.

I turned and looked at her, realizing what she meant. "This is who I am Bella. I'm not the nice guy."

She shook her head and mumbled something. When I asked her to repeat it, she scoffed and hopped out of the jeep. "Love has made you cynical Emmett. And at the end of the day, you'll see that I was right. It's better to be the nice guy than the asshole. Nice guys may not always finish last but they always get the girl."


	8. Leave Them Speechless

**Chapter 8 – Leave Them Speechless**

_"Walk Like you have three men walking behind you." – Oscar De La Renta_

Seeing that Emmett truly believed that he was happier sleeping around than being in a committed relationship, the attraction was gone. It didn't matter that it was forbidden or his outer appearance. He was too damaged on the inside, the same way I was. And I was determined to make a fresh start.

This is exactly what I did. Hanging with Alice and Jasper helped me not fall into the same lifestyle that Emmett had grown so accustomed to. I did, however go out on a lot of dates. If I was going to move on, then I needed to test the waters.

"So who's tonight's lucky winner?" Alice called out from my bed. I was in my closet trying to pick out the perfect outfit for my day tonight.

"Jacob Black. I met him at the coffee shop a few weeks ago. And since then I kept bumping into him so I figured why not. He's from the Native American Reservation near that small town outside of Seattle."

"So this makes what date number five this week?"

"Six," I stated coming out the closet with another outfit choice. "If you count the lunch date I had with Alec."

"And none of them you deemed worthy of a second date?"

I shook my head and listed off the reasons why. This one had bad breath. Another was too full of himself. There always seemed to be a reason. I didn't know if it was because I'd been in a relationship for so long or if because it was the Pacific but the guys here seemed to be lacking that special spark that made you craves them. I held up the outfit to my body and asked Alice's opinion.

It was a black and dark blue corset that made my chest look fuller than what it was and a pair of jeans that hugged me so tightly it gave off the impression I was poured into them.

"You must really like him if you're breaking out the slutty wear!" Alice squealed and slapped me on the back side.

"He has …some redeeming qualities but I can't think of them right now. All I know is he is so damn sexy."

"Who's so sexy?" Emmett asked from the doorway. He was casually leaning into it, chomping on an apple.

"Bella's date tonight. This kid named Jacob she met at a coffee house." I knew what Alice was doing but I was pretty sure it wasn't going to work. There was no way that Emmett was going to be jealous. But as I caught a glimpse of him in the mirror, I saw the flash of heat run through his eyes.

"Have fun." He smirked cockily. I shook it off and went back to my outfit. Alice found me the perfect pair of heels to where when I mentioned he was a bit taller than me. While she fixed up my hair and did my make up, I tried to understand Emmett. Every single time that I went out on a date, he appeared to be jealous but had on several occasions expressed that he had no desire to be with me. To him, I was one of the guys. I guess it was better than being seen as a little sister but it wasn't exactly a confidence booster that he saw me as one of his friends that he could play video games with and drink with but never invite into his bed.

At first, I figured he was just saying that because Eddy was in the room but even now with him always at the hospital or with his girlfriend Tanya, he still held fast to his claim. So I left it alone but wondered if it was because of the way I dressed. I loved clothes but never really felt the need to put forth a lot of effort when I was doing mundane tasks like classes or grocery shopping.

My dates were a different story. I would dress in a pair of jeans and a low cut shirt or a cute dress and matching shoes. Tonight though, I was planning on knocking off every hot blooded male that laid their eyes on me. When Alice took a step back to view her work, I knew I would be successful in that. My hair was left alone, falling around my face in its natural gentle waves. My make-up highlighted my cheekbones and made my eyes look sultry. Alice truly was the best when it came to things like this.

I dressed in my outfit and slipped into my heels just as I heard a doorbell ring. I shouted for Emmett to answer it and took my time putting on my jewelry and the finishing touch, Pure Seduction from Victoria's Secret. Alice looked me over and gave me her nod of approval before walking up the stairs before me. When I emerged in the hallway, I swayed my hips a bit just to playfully tease my date. He of course, couldn't take his eyes off me. And to my surprise, neither could Emmett. The lust in his eyes gave him away but he made no attempt to tear himself away.

"You look amazing, Bella." Jacob finally managed to spit out.

"Thank you, I do try. Are you ready Jacob?" He nodded, apparently not trusting himself to speak. I walked out the door before turning around and calling out to Emmett, "Don't wait up."

And with one final wink to him, I slid into Jacob's Rabbit and headed out into the night, finally feeling like I not only evoked an emotion from him but also managed to leave him speechless.

**AN: Next chapter will feature Emmett's POV and feelings about Bella's dating life. Keep the reviews coming people, I love how into this story many of you are.**


	9. Jealousy isn't Pretty

**Chapter 9 – Jealousy isn't Pretty**

"_He that is not jealous is not in love__." – St. Augustine_

I figured Bella was bringing all these guys around in the hopes of creating a jealous version of myself but so far all of them weren't worth it. they were out of their league. But the guy that came tonight actually had a chance. The fact that Bella was dressing in a corset and heels was proof that she was really into this one. And he was into her. the instant he saw her, the drool was apparent. I didn't even know that she owned something like that.

"Well I think he may get a second date. Bella couldn't stop talking about him." Alice winked as she slid into her coat.

I scoffed and went back to the living room to play my video game. "He's a pretty boy and he is so not Bella's type. I doubt she'll give him a second date."

Alice murmured something before plopping down in front of the television screen. I averted her gaze and weaved around her, trying focus on my game. Finally I got fed up with the stare down she was giving me and threw my controller down before asking her "What!"

"You are so jealous. You are jealous of the fact that Bella is dating someone and it isn't you." Alice started before her eyes grew wide with realization. "You have feelings for her."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I shrugged and headed to the kitchen to get something to drink. She followed me continuing on about me feeling something for Bella. "Just admit it, you feel something for her. something that you haven't felt since Rose dumped your cocky ass."

I gulped down my water and placed my head against the fridge door. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I met her the night before at the bar and didn't feel anything but curiosity. Then she was here in my kitchen and I felt attracted to her. I tried to bury it down out of respect for Edward but…"

"Feelings are something that can't be buried down. If you feel something for Bella then you need to stop all this sleeping around. You can't be in love with her and still think it's okay to sleep with other people. That isn't how love works!"

"Who said anything about love? I said I feel something for her. I can't say love but it's something."

Alice sighed and sat on the counter. "When I say Bella, what is the first thing that comes to mind?"

I slid down to the floor and thought hard about that. I whispered her name and immediately my mind went to sex. But it was more than what I did now. It was passionate and full of emotion; the essence of our souls combining to form a being known as "Bellmett". I could see myself sharing everything with her. everything that I thought I wanted to give Rosalie, I knew I could give it to Bella. My mom would love her and I was certain I could trust her to not break my heart. Alice read all of this on my face and told me to go for it.

"Look at Jasper. He was just like you, believing that he was destined to be with Maria. And she broke his heart, possibly worse than what Rosalie did to you."

I shook my head in doubt. There was no way that anyone in the world was more vicious than Rosalie. "She did more than break my heart. She destroyed my world."

"Maria stood Jasper up at their wedding. She told him she was pregnant and he did the honorable thing by proposing. He used money from his college fund to pay for a small ceremony and she never showed up. She left him a letter on his doorstep explaining that she aborted the pregnancy. That she had hoped when she told him that that was what he was going to say. She wasn't ready to be a mom and a wife. So yeah there is someone else out there worse than Rosalie. And it was so long ago. It's time for you to get your shit together and get out of the funk that you're in and tell Bella how you feel."

"It's not that simple, Alice. Bella clearly doesn't feel the same way about me. if she did then I feel she would try harder to show me that she was interested."

Alice let out a groan and placed her head in her head. "You have no idea how females act do you?" When I didn't answer, she explained that all of Bella's actions lately were all attempts to get my attention, to make me jealous. I smirked. Bella was parading all these guys through here in the hopes that I would enter some jealous rage and just take her.

"Just don't tell her that I told you. you need to make sure that it appears like you finally decided to take a stand and tell her how you feel."

I did care for Bella and wanted to see if I could be with her. But there was one thing that kept nagging me in the back of my mind. If I did pursue something with her, could I be trusted to not let my fears ruin it? Could I be sure that if I returned to the nice guy I was before I would be satisfied with it? But most important of all, could I be trusted to not break her heart?


	10. Feelings

**Chapter 10 – Feelings**

"_Be true to yourself and to your feelings. Those are the only things in your life that will never lie to you__." – Unknown_

I decided to tell Bella what I felt for her when she returned from her date. Alice had a point. I at least needed to tell Bella. If she was doing all of this to get my attention then she obviously felt something for me. I chuckled. I never thought Bella would be the type to resort to less than direct routes when it came to telling someone how she felt. So I waited until I heard the car pulling into the driveway before heading to the door.

I peered through the curtains and saw as she gave him what appeared to be a "good date" hug and started back towards the house when he reached out and pulled her into him and kissed her fiercely. When they finally broke away, I could tell she loved it. But I wasn't going to let that deter me. There was no way she was going to give him a second date. I was that confident.

Bella walked into the house with stars in her eyes.

"So…it was a good date?" I smirked, looking over my shoulder at her.

She snapped back to her usual self and shrugged. "It was okay. He was sweet and all, opening doors for me and pulling out my chair. You know if you like that kind of thing." She took off her jacket and threw it onto the chair as she plopped down to remove her shoes.

"Is Jacob going to get a second date with you?"

Bella started to answer when she suddenly changed her course of direction. "Why are you so curious about whether or not I'm going out with him again?"

"Just curious; all of the other losers didn't warrant a second date but it seems like you're considering it with this guy."

"Maybe I am. Maybe. I. Am." She teased before heading upstairs.

I watched her as she went, mentally kicking myself for not saying something. Bella was clearly into this Jacob kid. So if I was going to make my move, I needed to say something to her now. I saved my game and headed upstairs. I caught her just as she was coming heading towards the bathroom.

"Hey can we talk?" I asked; my tone a bit serious.

"I was getting ready to get in the shower. Can it wait?" I shook my head no. If I waited, I would either lose my nerve or fumble my words and never get it out. Bella instead asked if I could give her five minutes to get situated in the shower before I came in to speak with her.

Those were the longest five minutes of my life. I paced outside the bathroom door, basically on pins and needles, every possible scenario running through my head. Some were worse than others and a few were a bit impractical and just a show of how crazy I was making this out to be.

"So Emmett, what was so important that you couldn't wait until I got out of the shower?" She called out a bit muffled.

"Ok, first just don't say anything until I got this off my chest," I paused and waited for her to reply. When she did, I continued. "Bella I like you. At first I couldn't figure out why you were bringing up these weird emotions that I was certain I locked away. A friend of mine said it was because you and I were a lot alike and I accepted that. But it wasn't true. You aren't like me at all. You didn't lock your heart away when someone broke it. You gave yourself time to repair and then put it right back out there. I admire that about you. There are things that like about you but your ability is what I think I most wish I had. This is why I'm saying all this now. Because if you can do it after everything you went through then I am positive that I can do the same.

"I know that Edward told me to stay away from you and all but I can't. I probably like you more than I should and more than I care to admit right now. I know that I haven't exactly been acting like I do but I do. Like you that is. It's just…relationships and feelings have been very difficult things for me to deal with since Rosalie. I was afraid to fully put my heart out there out of fear. I gave Rose my all and she…well you know what happened. But with you, I want to try. I want to give my heart to you with no worries that you will break it."

"Are you…are you asking me out?"

I chuckled. "I'm asking a bit more of you Bella. I really like you and I want to be with you. I know that you think I'm just a player and will sleep with anything with a nice body but that's not who I am. The guy you met at the bar that night was me. You brought all of that out of me. and since you've been in my life, I've felt myself changing into who I use to be, the man my mother had hoped I would be. All I'm asking for is a chance. Let me show you that this is not some trick. That I am serious about this and about you. Just give me a chance."

**AN: What do you think? Should she give him a chance or keep the friendship? Let me know in your reviews.**


	11. Take A Chance

**Chapter 11 – Taking a Chance**

"_Don't__be afraid to make a decision that may not make sense today but feels right. Things that are right for us don't always make sense, but if we are not willing to__take a chance__with them...we leave ourselves open to missing out on a lot of beauty." – Unknown_

I chuckled. "I'm asking a bit more of you Bella. I really like you and I want to be with you. I know that you think I'm just a player and will sleep with anything with a nice body but that's not who I am. The guy you met at the bar that night was me. You brought all of that out of me. and since you've been in my life, I've felt myself changing into who I use to be, the man my mother had hoped I would be. All I'm asking for is a chance. Let me show you that this is not some trick. That I am serious about this and about you. Just give me a chance."

I leaned against the wall, taking in what Emmett was asking of me. This was something serious. I thought of Emmett that way but after our conversation I didn't think he would ever want to be in a relationship. But here he was asking me to take that step with him.

"You didn't drown in there did you?" he chuckled uncomfortably.

He was nervous. Emmett wanted me to say yes but he was nervous that I was going to say no. And shouldn't I say no? Nothing he has done since I've known him has proved to me that he knows what it means to be in a relationship. He's the type of guy who thinks sex on the first date is ideal, if it even gets to a first date. Everything about this situation was just…there isn't eve a word to describe it. I should just tell him no.

But what if he's the one? And he's being pretty ballsy with putting himself out there after having his heart broken. He wants to try it again with you of all people. He could have found a random stranger and attempted it with them but no, he wants to try it with you. Remember what your father always said, _'Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.'_

I turned off the water and called out to him, asking for my towel. Once I had it wrapped around my body, I slipped out and wiped away the steam from the mirror. "If I do this, and I'm not saying yes. But if we go out, you have to break up with all your skanks."

He smiled and nodded swiftly stating he would get on that right away. I turned on the faucet and prepared to brush my teeth. "That included Rosalie."

I expected some kind of pause or falter then but there was none. As I brushed my teeth, I watched him curiously in the mirror as he stood there patiently waiting for me to say that three letter word.

I shook my head and smirk, telling him I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction that easily. "Before I say yes, you have to take me out on a date. A real date." I rinsed out my mouth and crossed my arms across my chest, looking up into his eyes. They were sincere and honest. I was really going to do this. I was going to date the one guy in the entire world aside from Riley that my brother forbade me to date. I loved it.

"You got a bit of toothpaste," he leaned forward and gently wiped away the smear of toothpaste clinging to my bottom lip before leaning forward to rinse it from his thumb. He was so close, I could see the veins in his neck pulsing and smell his cologne. When he returned, he was standing even closer to me. I leaned forward and wrapped my arm around his neck to bring him closer to me, kissing his lips.

It wasn't urgent but it was full of passion and purpose. Emmett's arms wound around my waist and pulled me into him, deepening the kiss. When we broke apart for air, our eyes were hooded and full of lust and wanting. I was breaking all of my rules but in that moment I didn't care; I wanted him and I was almost certain I wouldn't regret it in the morning.

"So where to? Your room or mine."

"Mine."


End file.
